News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1887-11-24

VINO commit 1t UIlbn may D0 elUn6r S1-
pected or desired by them. The COM
mon saying of waking up the wrong
passenger" is peculiarly applicable to
this case.
In one of the most populous cities of
New England, few years since, a par
ty of lads, all members of the same
school, got up grand sleighride. There
were about twenty-five or thirty boys
engaged in the frolic. The sleigh was
a very large and splendid establishment,
drawn by six gray horses. The after
noon was as beautiful as anybody could
desire, and the merry group enjoyed
themselves in the highest degree 1t
was a common custom of the school to
which they belonged, and on previous
occasions their teacher had accompanied
them. Some engagement upon impor-
tant business, however, occupying him,
he was not at this time with them It
is quite likely, had it been otherwise,
that the restraining influence of his pres
ence would have prevented the scene
which is the main feature of the present
story.
On the day following the ride, as he
entered the school room, he found his
pupils grouped about the stove, and in
high merriment, as they chatted about
the fun and frolic of their excursion.
He stopped awhile and listened, and in
answer to some inquiries which he made
about the matter, one of the lads, fine,
frank and manly boy, whose heart was
in the right place, though his love of
sport sometimes led him astray, volun-
teered to give a narrative of their trip
and its various incidents. AS he drew
near the end of his story, he exclaimed:
"Oh, sir, there was one little circum-
stance which I had almost forgotten to
tell you. Toward the latter part of the
afternoon, as we were coming home, we
saw at some distance ahead of us, a
queer looking affair in the road We
could not exzesGly make out what it was.
It seemed to be a sort of half-and- half
monstrosity. AS We approached it,
it proved to be rusty old sleigh, fas.
tened behind a covered wagon, proceed
ing at very slow rate, and taking up
the whole road. Finding that the own
er was not disposed to turn out, we de-
termined upon volley of snow balls
and a good hurrah. These we gave
with relish, and they produced the
right effect, and little more, for the
crazy machine turned out into the deep
snow by the side of the road, and the
skinny old pony started on full trot.
AS we passed, someone who had the
whip gave the old jilt of a horse a good
crack, which made him run faster than
he ever did before, I'll warrant. And
SO, with another volley of snowballs,
pitched into the front of the wagon, and
three times three cheers, we rushed by.
With that, an old .tel20oo in the wagon,
who was buried up under an old hat,
and beneath q rusty cloak, and who had
dropped the reins, bawled out, why
do you brighten my horse?' why don't
you turn out, then?' says the driver. So
we gave him three rousing cheers more;
his horse was frightened again, and ran
up against loaded team, and, [ be-
lieve, almost capsized the old creature
and so we left him."
"Well, boys" replied the instructor,
''that is quite an incident But take
your seats, and, after our morning SER
vice is ended, [ will take my turn and |
tell you story, and all about sleigh
ride, too"
Having finished the reading of a
chapter in the Bible, and after all had
joined in the Lords prayer, he com
as follows:
yesterday afternoon a very venera-
ole and respectable old man, and cler-
gyman by profession, was on his way
rom Boston to Salem, to pass the resi-
lue of the winter at the house of his
son. That he might be prepared for
ourneying, as he proposed to do in the
spring, he took with him his light
wagon, and for the winter his sleigh, |
which he fastened behind the wagon.
He was, just as 1 have told you, very old |
md intirm; his temples were covered |
with thinned locks, which the frosts of |
eighty years had whitened; his sight
md hearing, too, were somewhat blunt
I'd by age, as yours will be should you !
i've to be as old. He was proceeding !
very slowly and quietly, for his horse i
xAs old and feeble, ike his owner. His
thoughts reverted to the scenes of his
youth, when he had perilled his life in
lighting for the liberties of his country;
to the scenes of his manhood, when he
lad preached the gospel of his divine
Master to the heather of the remote
and to the scenes of ripper
Years, when the hard hand of penury
lad lain heavily upon him. While thus
almost forgetting himself in
he multitude of his thoughts, he was
disturbed and even terrified by
oud hurrahs from behind, and by
urious pelting and Gathering of balls of
now and ice upon the top of his wagon.
N his trepidation he dropped his reins,
md as his aged and feeble hands were
Iuite benumbed with cold, he found it
to gather them up, and his
loTse began to run away.
'In the midst of the old mans trou-
lie, there rushed by him, with loud
houts, large party of boys in sleigh
lrawn by six horses. Turn out, turn
JOY, 'What'll you take FOR your pony,
What's the price of oats7' were the vari-
Jus cries that met his ears.
" Pray, do not brighten my horse
exclaimed the infirm driver.
L" Turn out, then! turn QUIT was the
which was followed by repeated
racks and blows from the long whip of
he grand sleigh, with showers of snow
,alls, and three tremendous huzzas from
he boys who were in it.
"The terror of the old man and his
lorse was increased, and the latter ran
way with him, to the imminent danger
f his life. He contrived, however, after
ONE exertion, to secure his reins, which
lad been out of his hands during the
Whole of the affray, and to stop his
lorse Just in season to prevent his being
ashed against loaded team.
Gas he approached Salem he over
ook a young man who was walking to.
Yard the same place, and whom he in
tied to ride. The young man alluded ,
o the grand sleigh, which had just
assed, which induced the old gentle
nan to inquire if he knew who the BOYS
7ere. He replied that he did; that they
II belonged to one school, and were
ct of wild fellows.
'Aha!' exclaimed the former, with /
earty laugh (for his constant good ma /
IRE had not been disturbed), do they,
indeed? Why, their master is very we'll ..
nown to me. / am now going to his {
ouse, and [ rather think | shall give t
i'm the benefit of this whole story s
GA short distance brought him to his
end, the house of his son.
lis old horse was comfortably housed
nd fed, and he himself abundantlv
rovided for.
'That son, boys. is your instructor: :
nd that aged and infirm old man, that
Did fellow and odd boy (who did not
Urn out for you, but who would have
lady given you the whole road, had he
card your approach), that odd boy,
nd EOl6 daddy , and sold fro1o, 100,